


A Royal Zandar Christmas Event

by Gray Shadows (tris_chandler)



Category: Power Rangers Dino Charge
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Gen, Incidental Chase/Riley, Post-Beyond the Grid, Post-Series, Team as Family, Winter Solstice, holiday fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-18
Updated: 2019-12-18
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:46:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21841636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tris_chandler/pseuds/Gray%20Shadows
Summary: Kendall reached out and closed the laptop before picking up her cup of tea -- somehow still steaming, despite being neglected for most of the call -- and sinking a little more deeply into the overstuffed chair. Sipping the tea, a sweet, spicy blend that she'd been told was traditional in Zandar during the Christmas season, she smiled as she watched the light snow fall outside on the grounds. It had been far, far too long since she'd taken any kind of vacation, much less the extended one that she found herself on, but Prince Phillip's invitation for all of the Rangers to join him in Zandar for that year's Christmas celebrations had been too good to pass up.
Comments: 7
Kudos: 29
Collections: Yuletide 2019





	A Royal Zandar Christmas Event

**Author's Note:**

  * For [wingsyouburn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/wingsyouburn/gifts).



> ... So hilariously, I didn't even realise that "Here Comes Heximas" _exists_ until ~4:30PM on the 24th -- I somehow missed that when I watched through the series -- so any similarities are completely coincidental in base concept. But, having now watched it, I do agree with Keeper: Christmas _is_ the best time for time travel.

> **Zandar, The Royal Palace. December 2nd. 12:33PM.**

"So yeah, Shelby and I are going to meet up with Dad in Germany on the twelfth," Tyler said, his voice a little crackly over the connection as the image blurred momentarily with static. Wherever he was, Kendall mused -- she'd given up trying to keep track about three days into Tyler and Shelby's adventures -- the internet signal was far from reliable. "We'll spend a few days there together, and then all three of us will head into Zandar. Should be there by the nineteenth, but I promise we'll be there by the twenty-first at the latest. I know that Phillip has a bunch of things planned, and I, for one, do _not_ plan to miss my first Royal Zandar Christmas Event."

Kendall nodded, pulling her legs up under her in the comfy armchair. She could _hear_ the capital letters on that, not that this was surprising coming from Tyler. "We'll be watching for you," she assured him. "Anyway, you should probably get back, right? Say hi to Shelby for me, and we'll see you when you get here."

"See you soon!" Tyler said, grinning widely, before he clicked off the connection; the screen went blank for a moment before settling back into standby mode. Kendall reached out and closed the laptop before picking up her cup of tea -- somehow still steaming, despite being neglected for most of the call -- and sinking a little more deeply into the overstuffed chair. Sipping the tea, a sweet, spicy blend that she'd been told was traditional in Zandar during the Christmas season, she smiled as she watched the light snow fall outside on the grounds. It had been far, far too long since she'd taken any kind of vacation, much less the extended one that she found herself on, but Prince Phillip's invitation for all of the Rangers to join him in Zandar for that year's Christmas celebrations had been too good to pass up.

Sure, part of her itched, as it always would, to be doing _something_ , but the view of the wintery grounds helped her stuff that down into a tiny little box to deal with _later_. For the moment, she was content to sit in her incredibly comfy guest room, sip her delicious tea, and watch the snow fall onto the palace grounds. It was, she mused, probably her last moment of quiet during the vacation; Shelby, Tyler, and James might not be showing up for a few weeks, but Chase was due in later that day, and wherever he went, excitement -- and noise -- was sure to follow. Especially when Riley arrived a few days later with his brother Matt in tow. Kendall had never _quite_ decided if her former black and green rangers were actually into each other, or if Chase simply saw Riley as some kind of ad hoc younger brother, but either way she was certain it meant for some... interesting... interactions between Chase and Matt. 

Kendall wondered if she ought to stock up on popcorn. She could probably make a killing when the fireworks finally hit. 

A knock at the door pulled Kendall from her reverie; she looked up and called out, "Come in!"

A moment later, Phillip was walking into the room, stopping just inside the doorway.

"Prince Phillip! I thought you were busy all day with the ambassador. Is everything all right?"

"I have but a moment's respite," he admitted, "as something has come up that I believe merits your expertise. We've had reports of an... anomaly... not far from the palace, out in the old Hunting Grounds. I recognise that I asked you here in the spirit of taking a _break_ from your duties, but truly I know of no one here who might be better suited to discover what this anomaly is. I thought perhaps, if you were willing, to send you into the forest with a member of the guard?"

Kendall was already reaching for her satchel, pulling it open and checking that all her tools were inside. "Of course. I'd be happy to." She shrugged on her winter coat, and slung the satchel over her shoulder. "What do we already know?" she asked, then walked out of the room, powering past Phillip and down the hall.

Chuffing a soft laugh, Phillip scrambled to catch up and keep pace. "Approximately half an hour ago, we had a report from one of the villagers about 'strange lights' in the forest. Normally, this wouldn't be a concern, but the villager in question is reputed to be of a certain... grounded... disposition, and is unlikely to make such a report without cause. She led a member of the guard to the area, and he was able to send along a photo of the lights, and, well..." Phillip reached out and grabbed Kendall's arm, causing her to stop; he pulled out his phone to show her the image. "You can see, I imagine, why I thought of you."

"I... Yes, yes, that--" Kendall blinked at the image, reaching out as if to touch it. "This is here, _now_? You're certain?"

Phillip nodded, looking down at his phone himself. The screen showed an image of a large, silvery portal, ringed by little bars of light in a range of colours: the very image of the time portal created by the true power of the Energems. "I spoke with the guardsman myself. I could even hear the sound of it in the background. It is indubitably the same kind of portal we once used to travel sixty-five million years into the past."

"So the question is," Kendall said, surging back into motion, "why is it here now? And -- is it here for us to go somewhere, or is someone coming through it to _us_?"

Beside her, Phillip stopped abruptly. It took Kendall a few moments to notice, and she stopped, trying -- mostly successfully -- to cover her impatience as he caught up. "A most excellent question, and one I hadn't considered," Phillip allowed. "Although given its nature, I do rather hope that it is at least neutral, if not benign, in temperament." He reached out and waved at a guardswoman, who nodded and trotted over. "If you could please escort Dr. Morgan to the site of the portal?" he asked, and the guard nodded.

"Of course, milord," she said, offering a somewhat shy smile at Kendall, who was making a face and muttering, " _Ms. _It's _Ms._ Morgan. I don't have a doctorate."__

__"Kendall, this is Astrid, one of our most experienced guards," Phillip explained, studiously ignoring Kendall's muttering. "I need to get back to the ambassador, but, please, let me know as soon as you discover anything, _anything_ , of note."_ _

__Kendall nodded emphatically, and Phillip took his leave. Kendall turned a smile back at Astrid. "So I guess you're stuck with me," she said, and held out her hand for Astrid to shake. "Call me Kendall, please." She nodded toward the door. "Shall we? I would _really_ like to get a look at this portal."_ _

* * *

____

> __**Zandar, In the Woods Outside the Capital. December 2nd. 1:17PM.**__

 _ _Despite the urgency of their travel through the woods, a part of Kendall's brain still took the time to admire the picturesque Zandarian winter sights. "It's so beautiful here," she mused, and beside her, Astrid nodded._ _

__"It's all I've ever known, but I don't think I'd trade it for anything else." Astrid pushed aside a branch, letting a bunch of snow fall to the ground as she revealed a path between two trees that had been hidden; she ushered Kendall through. "The... portal... is just through here, by the stream."_ _

__As Kendall stepped through and into a clearing, she gasped, because she knew exactly where she was, despite the wintery blanket that covered the scene before her. Walking forward, she approached the portal, shimmering in the air and making a ringing sound that was almost too faint to hear; it was, she knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, hanging over the exact spot where Ivan had once disappeared from Zandar, and where he had been sent by Keeper to return to his time._ _

__She raised a hand to the portal, ignoring Astrid's cry of, "M'lady, _wait_!" from behind her, and it flashed a brilliant violet for a moment as the corresponding gem flared in response. It returned to its usual colours... but only for a moment, before the gold gem flared as well, and, in another flash, a figure tumbled out of the portal and into the snow._ _

__The person -- clad in a familiar coat that was completely ill-suited to the weather -- was still for a moment, and Kendall found she could barely breathe as she knelt down beside it. She reached out to turn the body over and examine it, but before she could grab the shoulder, there was a shudder and an all-too-familiar voice moaning, "Ow."_ _

__" _Ivan?_ " Kendall exclaimed, and she extended her hand to help him as he started to get up._ _

__"The very same," Ivan said, with a slanted, bright-eyed grin. He pulled Kendall into a quick, strong hug before stepping back. "And none the worse-for-wear, despite the rather unexpectedly rough travels!" Ivan glanced around, and nodded. "Ah, good, then it appears our friend has indeed sent me to the appropriate time and place. I do hope I'm in time to see the rest of our friends and to join in the festivities?"_ _

__Kendall nodded, staring a little blankly, then looking back at the portal over Ivan's shoulder. "No one else has even arrived yet," she explained, before adding, "Okay, but... I don't understand. _How_ are you here?"_ _

__As Ivan opened his mouth to answer, a polite cough sounded from the edge of the clearing._ _

__"Uh, m'la- er, Kendall," Astrid asked, eyeing the newcomer Ivan, "who exactly is this? Where did he come from?"_ _

__Ivan's grin widened as he turned his attention to the guard, and he swept a gallant bow. "A most glorious afternoon to you! I am Sir Ivan of Zandar, and I come from nowhere else but exactly here. The better question to ask is _when_ did I come from! And that is a _truly_ wondrous-"_ _

__"He's a friend, Astrid," Kendall hurried to explain, cutting Ivan off. "A knight from Zandar's past. It's... a long story," she concluded, wincing at the weak 'explanation'. Turning back to Ivan, she noticed him try to hide a shiver. "C'mon, let's get you back to the palace and out of the cold. We can probably get you settled before Chase arrives."_ _

__Ivan shook his head. "No, we should wait a moment longer. We will have another arrival shortly, if our friend is to be believed."_ _

__"Another-- Who is this friend, Ivan?" Kendall asked. "How did you get here?"_ _

__Ivan gave her a bemused look. "Why, it was Heckyl, of course. Who else?"_ _

__Kendall blinked, bemusedly repeating, "Who else?"_ _

__She turned back to the portal, which flashed blue, then again a darker blue, before one person tumbled out and another stepped through, calm as can be, in a familiar blue suit._ _

__"Heckyl?" She eyed the once-villain, as he smiled and gave her a little wave._ _

__Putting him mentally aside for the moment, Kendall turned to the person on the ground, who was swiftly getting to his feet. " _Koda!_ " she exclaimed, before Koda stepped forward and swept her into a bearhug. _ _

__"Kendall!" Koda replied, as exuberant as the hug currently threatening Kendall's ability to breathe. "Heckyl say, he bring me to visit! For Christmas!"_ _

__"Okay, great." Kendall extracted herself from the hug after one final squeeze of her own. "Heckyl, please don't take this the wrong way, because I am _very_ happy to see my friends again, but: _how_? Answers, please." She gave him a steely glare, belied by the exultant grin still tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Now."_ _

__Heckyl laughed and nodded. "I've, uh, recently had a few adventures of my own," he explained, "and it left me with a little bit of a stronger connection to the Energems, and the Grid. Enough to reach out to other people, those with a connection of their own. I thought, perhaps, a little Christmas surprise? It might not be _my_ holiday, but, hey, one winter solstice celebration is as good as another. I'll take them both home after we're all done. No one will even notice!"_ _

__"Indeed, Sir Heckyl!" Ivan proclaimed. "And what a wonderful surprise this is! Now, perhaps, milady knight," he continued, turning to the guard, "if you could lead us to the palace? Lady Kendall was indeed correct in that I might like something... more suited to the weather. I will admit, I did not think of the change in season, for it was much earlier in the year when Heckyl came to me."_ _

__Astrid stared, wide-eyed, for a moment, before shrugging and nodding. "Sure, I can do that," she said, apparently having decided that if everything was going to be weird, she might as well go with it. "Uh, it's back this way," Astrid added, pulling the branches aside to reveal the path out of the clearing._ _

__Heckyl reached out and grabbed at nothing, and the portal collapsed into a sparkling, silvery marble that floated into his hand. He tucked it into a pocket, grinning at the others as he backed through the trees. Koda bounded along after him, and Ivan waved Kendall through before making his own way out of the clearing._ _

__"And to think," Kendall mused to Ivan, glancing back over her shoulder, "I thought this was going to be a _quiet_ vacation."_ _

__Ivan laughed, bright and clear; Kendall hadn't realised how much she'd missed it._ _

__"Ah," he said, "but what would be the fun in that?"_ _

* * *

____

> __**Zandar, The Royal Palace. December 2nd. 6:07PM.**__

 _ _"Okay, so explain this to me again," Chase said, holding court from his perch on the back of Kendall's comfy armchair._ _

__She was seated in it crosswise, leaning back against the armrest so she could look up at Chase, while Ivan sat at the little dining table, devouring a bowl of thick, meaty stew, and Koda curled up, cross-legged, on the carpet in front of the fire. Heckyl was idly exploring the contents of the bookshelf, all from the palace's collection and nothing to which Kendall had paid any attention._ _

__"So there was this whole big adventure, we all fought off this... weird evil mega-ranger guy from another timeline, and none of us remember it?" Chase asked._ _

__"More or less." Heckyl shrugged. "The only reason I remember at all is because I wasn't actually _in_ the universe when it was rebuilt." He tilted his head, considering. "Universes. Multiverse? Multiverse. I wasn't in the multiverse when it was rebuilt." Kendall opened her mouth to comment, but he just gave her a wry smile and shrugged, so she let it go. "Anyway, it's not _super_ clear, and I don't know how much, if anything, the others remember, but... Oh, and I'm a Ranger now. That's, uh, a longer story. I may have made some... choices. But it all worked out in the end!"_ _

__"A Ranger? Well, now I really _have_ seen everything." Despite the half-mocking tone, a giant grin had split Chase's face. "Good on ya, mate. Welcome to the club."_ _

* * *

____

> __**Zandar, The Royal Palace Grounds. December 6th. 2:37PM.**__

 _ _"No fair!" Riley cried, laughing, as he ducked away from the onslaught of snowballs thrown by Chase and Koda. "Guys, _guys_ , c'mon, give me a chance to-" Still laughing, he abandoned his suitcase and dove behind one of the statue-topped pillars that studded the palace grounds and came out the other side, snowballs in each hand that hit his assailants with startling accuracy. "-fight back," he finished, grinning, as they sputtered and brushed the snow away from their eyes._ _

__He stopped grinning when Matt, behind him, shoved a handful of snow directly in his face._ _

__"Hi, everyone." Matt waved shyly. "Thanks for inviting me along. But I thought most of you weren't showing up until later?"_ _

__"We've had a few unexpected -- but very welcome -- guests," Kendall said._ _

__Riley dashed over to Koda and Ivan, pulling them into a hug, before moving on to Heckyl, then awkwardly approaching Chase. Matt eyed them for a moment before turning back to Kendall, arching an eyebrow._ _

__She just shrugged, rolling her eyes. She _still_ had no idea how either of them felt about the other. "Heckyl found a way to bring Koda and Ivan to visit for the holidays, so we've got three extra people."_ _

__"Heckyl..." Matt drawled. "He's the one who you fought for a while?"_ _

__"And who then was instrumental in _saving the world_ ," Kendall emphasised, and Matt nodded hurriedly. "But yes, you're right, we didn't start out as friends." _ _

__She watched as Ivan pulled Koda away from Riley and Chase, who had gotten through the awkwardness enough to hug, at least._ _

__"At any rate, why don't we get you two settled in? I know Phillip's planning something special for supper tonight, and you're just in time for the carol singing afterwards."_ _

__Matt made a face._ _

__Kendall commiserated, "It's fine. No one wants to hear _me_ sing, either." _ _

__"Oh, not me," Matt explained. "I'm... well, maybe not great, but no one complains. _Riley_ , on the other hand, is probably best described as..."_ _

__"Enthusiastic?"_ _

__"Yeah, that works." Shouldering his dufflebag, Matt grabbed for Riley's suitcase, waving his brother off to keep playing with the others. "So, a palace," he said, eyeing the building as they approached. "Gotta say, never thought I'd get a chance to stay in one of these, much less spend Christmas. It's still hard to believe that Riley's friends with an actual prince."_ _

__"I mean, it's surreal to _me_ still, sometimes," Kendall assured him, "and I lived through it all with him." _ _

__She led the way into the main building, smiling at a few of the palace servants as she showed Matt to his and Riley's suite of rooms, a few doors down the hallway from her own._ _

__"I'll let you settle in," she said._ _

__He nodded, clearly a little taken aback at the scope of the rooms set aside for his and Riley's use. "If you're hungry, there's probably still some leftovers from lunch. Just dial nine and you'll reach the kitchens."_ _

__"O...kay..." Matt said, but nodded. "Okay. Uh, thanks. I'll probably do that. I bet Riley'll want something when he finally gets in here." He smiled gratefully at Kendall, who returned the smile before leaving him to the rooms._ _

* * *

____

> __**Zandar, The Royal Palace Grounds. December 6th. 5:46PM.**__

 _ _Kendall looked up from her reading at a soft knock on her open door; Astrid stood at the entrance to her room, looking a little hesitant._ _

__"Is everything all right?" Kendall asked, waving Astrid in._ _

__"I... think so?" Astrid said, settling into a casual stance just inside the door. "My apologies, I'm simply not yet used to... everything that's happened. We all knew that the prince had been a Power Ranger, but knowing and _seeing_ are two entirely different things."_ _

__"Oh, that's perfectly understandable," Kendall assured her. "I mean, I was there for all of it, and some of this is _still_ sending me for a loop." She marked her place and put down the book, stretching out her shoulders as she stood. "I didn't realise it had gotten so late -- is it dinner already?"_ _

__Astrid nodded. "Prince Phillip sent me to find you," she explained. "He thought you might... suggest... that the young masters Griffin ought to dress for dinner?"_ _

__Inwardly, Kendall winced at herself -- she _knew_ she'd forgotten something earlier. It might not be a formal dinner, but etiquette still demanded that none of them roll in directly from playing in the snow. "Riley may have already thought of it," she said, nodding, "but I'll pop over and mention it. I know I told them to bring something nice." _ _

__She ran through her mental inventory of the clothes she had remaining, and what she had left to wear before sending things out to the palace laundry. What she was already wearing would be fine for the evening's dinner, at least, but she'd probably need to change before the carol singing._ _

__Satisfied that she was okay for at least a few more days, she returned her attention to the guard with an apologetic smile. "Thank you, Astrid."_ _

__"Of course, Kendall," the guard said, offering a shy smile of her own in return. "If you need anything else, please don't hesitate to ring the guardhouse. I'll be on duty all evening."_ _

__As Astrid took her leave, Kendall rolled her shoulders out again before heading out into the hallway herself and knocking on Matt and Riley's door._ _

__"Come in!" Riley called. She stepped into the suite's sitting room, where Riley, Koda, Ivan, and Chase all sat, relaxing, crammed onto the couch. Matt was in the armchair just beside it, looking a little bemused._ _

__"Hey, Kendall!" Riley perked up. "You missed a great snowball fight!"_ _

__"It sounded like it," she told them, unable to hold back her grin. As focused as she'd been on her book, it had been hard to ignore the gleeful shouting that had accompanied the game, given that her windows overlooked the courtyard where they'd been playing. "You know, I _was_ coming over to let you know to get ready for dinner, but it looks like you beat me to it." _ _

__All five men were dressed for dinner, in fact, and someone had even convinced Koda to wear a shirt with sleeves._ _

__"You're welcome." Chase laughed, waving at the others. "Like I was going to leave my best mate and his brother to flounder like that."_ _

__"Did his highness not mention that he had a surprise for us at dinner this evening?" Ivan was the first to get up from the couch, joining Kendall at the doorway. "I must admit, I am most curious as to what it might be!"_ _

__Matt shrugged as he got up. "Only one way to find out. Is it too early to head down?"_ _

__Glancing at the clock on the mantle, Kendall shook her head. "No, it should be fine."_ _

__The group headed out, Riley bouncing between Chase and Koda as he caught them up on how his first year of university was going. A quick knock at the door to Heckyl's suite and he joined the procession. It only took a few minutes to make their way down to the lesser dining hall, where Phillip was already seated, chatting with another, familiar guest._ _

__"Zach!" Riley exclaimed, dashing across the room to greet the other man, with Ivan following along a step behind and with a modicum more decorum. "When did you get here?"_ _

__"Today," Zach explained, shaking Riley's hand, then Ivan's. "Prince Phillip sent me a ticket after Ivan showed up. Like I was going to pass up a chance to spend Christmas in a _palace_?"_ _

__Kendall caught Phillip's eye, and the prince just shrugged, smiling. "It seemed appropriate," he explained, as the trio reacquainted themselves, joined by the rest of their group. "After all, how many chances will Ivan have to meet his own descendant like this? One more plane ticket will hardly break the kingdom's coffers."_ _

__"Thank you for all of this," Kendall told him. "Everything. Between you and Heckyl... I never imagined this when you first invited me to visit."_ _

__Phillip laughed. "Well, I could hardly plan for Heckyl bringing along Koda and Sir Ivan, but the more, the merrier, as they say." He waved at the table, where the servants were laying out the first course. "Shall we?"_ _

* * *

____

> __**Zandar, The Streets of the Capital. December 12th. 7:12PM.**__

 _ _It had snowed again that afternoon, leaving the cobblestone streets at the center of the Zandarian capital city a picturesque sight worthy of any Christmas card. Kendall picked her way along the street, marvelling at the way that the flickering lamplight from the old, gas-fueled streetlamps danced across the glittering surface._ _

__"Do you even have any money?" she asked Heckyl, a little amused. "I should have asked before we left."_ _

__"Of course!" Heckyl replied, affronted. He paused. "... As long as we find a shopkeep who takes galactic credits."_ _

__Kendall just laughed. "In that case, I'd be happy to cover you for now. We can figure out the exchange rate later." She eyed both sides of the street, looking for which shops were still open -- most of them, it seemed, although a few of the smaller ones had definitely closed for the day. "Did you have any idea what you wanted to buy?"_ _

__Heckyl shook his head. "I'll admit, I didn't even realise this was a gift-giving holiday until today. On Sentai 6, the solstice celebrations are traditionally more... spiritual... and we give gifts at the spring equinox."_ _

__"It's funny, because I don't even really think of this as a solstice celebration." Kendall shrugged as Heckyl made little inquisitive sound. "I mean, it absolutely is, if you look at the history of it, but it's also cobbled together from, like, four other old holidays from different traditions, and is _theoretically_ a religious celebration that, I think, only Shelby, and maybe Riley and Matt, actually observe? For a lot of people who celebrate it, it's really more secular, about family and coming together. It's a pretty common theme, actually, through most of the different traditions, although I won't pretend to be an expert."_ _

__Heckyl wandered over to the window of a toy shop, placing one hand against the glass as he watched a model train move around its track. "It's similar back home," he offered, his voice wistful. "Family, togetherness, surviving the winter. We light a candle, or a fire, as the sun sets, and all through the night, we feed it, watch it, carry it through the longest night and out into the next morning. It's... solemn, though."_ _

__"Christmas is, too, for some people. Obviously not for everyone, these days, but it's still a significant religious holiday, in some traditions." Kendall stopped outside another store before waving Heckyl into it._ _

__"You know, Christmas itself is a few days after the actual solstice," she explained, as they walked into the chandlery. Candles of all shapes and sizes lined the shelves, with labels reading 'soy', 'beeswax - local', and other materials that made them up, or indicating the scents that had been worked into the wax. "If you'd like, we could light a candle on the solstice itself. Carry it through the night."_ _

__Heckyl's eyes danced in the flickering light as he blinked away tears. "I-- I'd like that. It would be nice to bring a little light to the darkness."_ _

__"After all," Kendall said, watching as he walked through the aisles, looking for the perfect candle, "what else are Rangers for?"_ _

* * *

____

> __**Zandar, The Royal Palace Courtyard. December 15th. 1:27PM.**__

 _ _Given that the afternoon was, while still brisk, rather unseasonably mild, Kendall had left the boys to their games and machinations and wandered outside to the courtyard with her book. Settling herself onto one of the benches, cleared of snow and covered with an insulating blanket, she opened the volume but found her attention skipping away every few words. It was a _beautiful_ day, and Kendall let herself bask in it, the sun warming her despite the remaining chill in the air._ _

__Soft footsteps sounded along the pathway stones, but Kendall ignored them, eyes closed and face raised to the sky, until Ivan's voice came softly from beside her._ _

__"Care for some company?" he asked, and she turned to him with a smile and nodded._ _

__"Of course," Kendall assured him._ _

__He settled himself on the other end of the bench, leaning back against the armrest and pulling his knees to his chest._ _

__"I'd have thought you'd be with the others," she added, waving vaguely with the book in the direction of the palace wing that held their chambers. "It sounded... well, raucous, on my way out."_ _

__Ivan just shrugged. "I find myself ill-suited to merriment today," he explained. "Instead, I find myself given to melancholy, and would not think to inflict that mood upon our comrades." He hesitated for a moment, but Kendall let him take his time rather than interjecting. "And, as much as I appreciate the opportunity to see him again, and am grateful to Prince Phillip for inviting him to join us, Zach is... a reminder that some choices are not my own to make."_ _

___'Some choices'?_ Kendall considered Ivan's words before coming to a conclusion. "You wish you'd stayed, the first time," she said, succinctly, and it startled Ivan, who jerked his head up, consternation warring on his face with wonder. "But if you stayed here, Zach's ancestor would never be born, so, eventually, neither would he."_ _

__"That... is the crux of it, yes," Ivan agreed, looking down and away. "Had I not known that I had descendants... relying upon me to beget a child, I would not hesitate to remain here. While the Zandar of the past will always be _my_ home, nonetheless I find myself with _a_ home here, as well, and one that I have grown to fit."_ _

__Kendall nodded slowly. "And it's not that it's a _bigger_ space, or _better_ , but it's..." She shook her head. "That's an impossible choice, Ivan."_ _

__Ivan met her eyes with a wry smile. "On the contrary, Kendall. It is no choice at all. I cannot knowingly commit Zach and his ancestors to oblivion out of my own selfish needs. Even were Zach not a friend, knowing that he exists... It is no choice at all," he repeated._ _

__Kendall wondered whether he was trying to convince her, or to convince himself._ _

__"And now, I find my melancholy has been spread against even my best efforts." Ivan got up abruptly, even as Kendall protested. He was holding himself so stiffly that it seemed he might break against the strain. Taking a deep breath, Ivan let it out slowly._ _

__Kendall was relieved to see him relax as he offered her a small, but genuine, smile._ _

__"Thank you for listening to my woes, dear friend," he said._ _

__"There's got to be some way," Kendall protested, but Ivan shook his head._ _

__"I will make my peace with it," he explained. "Knowing that I have been able to visit this once, I trust that this time will not be the last." He waved at her to stay seated as he stepped away, insisting, "No, no, enjoy your book, and the weather. I think perhaps I will go and put the guard trainees through their paces." His smile widened a little, even if it didn't quite reach his eyes. "I must, after all, ensure that the kingdom's protectors are up to the task."_ _

__Despite wanting to insist that he stay, that they start finding a way for him to stay if he wanted, Kendall just nodded and smiled back. "Don't be _too_ hard on them," she said instead. "They haven't trained with a Power Ranger."_ _

__"Well," Ivan said, over his shoulder, "at least not _yet_."_ _

* * *

____

> __**Zandar, The Royal Palace. December 19th. 10:02AM.**__

 _ _James blinked at the two men before him. "Did Ivan get cloned?" he asked, sotto voce._ _

__Tyler and Shelby hugged their teammates. Shelby's delighted cries at seeing Ivan and Koda were probably audible in the town, but Kendall couldn't find it in herself to blame her._ _

__"Has Tyler not mentioned him?" Kendall asked._ _

__James shook his head._ _

__"No, that's his descendant. Although we were just as confused when we first met him, especially considering he'd been tagging the museum." She shrugged at James's surprised look. "He's actually doing quite well for himself in art school, from what I hear."_ _

__"Huh. And to think I thought nothing else would ever surprise me, after everything that happened when we were Rangers."_ _

__Kendall gave James an odd look. "You are now literally the same physical age as your own son and have fought giant monsters who maintained a vendetta against the planet for sixty-five million years, because _wow_ did Sledge never hear about letting things go. Ivan's descendant looking like him is what throws you? James, that is the least surprising thing to happen to any of us this entire time."_ _

__Laughing, James shook his head. "Well, when you put it that way," he replied, holding up his hands placatingly. "It _is_ odd, though, isn't it? You'd think that this kind of cross-generational, uh... identical-ness would be impossible."_ _

__"Well, the Energems did affect us physically," Kendall pointed out, "on a genetic level, even. Maybe it's a kind of... resonance. Ivan's descendant in this generation grew to look like him, because this is where Ivan and his Energem resurfaced." Off James skeptical look, she shrugged. "Hey, it makes as much sense as anything else we've dealt with. More, even."_ _

__James was silent for a long moment, watching the others across the room as they celebrated being reunited. "You know, I wondered if I'd age?" he said, breaking the silence between them, still watching Tyler. "If, after giving up the power, I'd grow to be as old as I would be if I hadn't bonded with the gem, instead of this... half-grown failure of a father."_ _

__Kendall gave James a sidelong glance before answering, unsure how to approach the idea of his failing at fatherhood, and not entirely willing to disagree. "Honestly, I'm still not sure we're aging. Or, at least, that we're not aging much slower than we should be. We may have given up the Energems, but we were still bound to them. Still _are_ , in some ways, and it's still affecting us in ways I don't think any of us imagined when this all started, not even Keeper. Humans are... something of an anomaly when it comes to the Power. We have a history of connecting to the Grid in... unexpected and unpredictable ways. With something like the Energems, that actually bond to you, that forge a deep connection to the core of who you are?" She shrugged. "Honestly, I'd be surprised if any one of us dies of old age."_ _

__"Poor Koda."_ _

__"What?"_ _

__James nodded across the room, where their resident caveman was flexing, Riley and Zach hanging off of his arms as they all laughed. "I don't imagine it's quite so bad for Ivan. He'll have given up a lot going back to his own time, but there will still be people he can _talk_ to. Who maybe can't understand everything he's experienced in this time, but with whom he shares enough experiences that he can connect to them. Koda, though..."_ _

__Kendall winced as she made the connections, even as she thought about what Ivan had said about wishing _he_ had stayed here, instead of returning to his own time. _Not my secret to share,_ she reminded herself, before replying. "He's changed a lot," she agreed. "In ways I don't think any of us really realised at the time. It's incredible that he's been able to survive back then at all."_ _

__"And that he hasn't done something that completely changed the course of history," James added, his tone joking, though the humour didn't reach his eyes. "Introduced an idea long before it should have happened. Like hamburgers."_ _

__"Do you think he's happy?"_ _

__James shrugged. "You'd have to ask him."_ _

__Considering that, Kendall nodded, then pushed herself off of the wall and began walking over to the other Rangers. "You know," she said, looking at James over her shoulder, "Maybe I will." With that, she joined the crowd, letting herself laugh along with her friends, while the problem turned itself over in the back of her head. There'd be a solution somewhere, she knew, if she could find it._ _

* * *

____

> __**Zandar, The Royal Palace. December 19th. 9:48PM.**__

 _ _"Do you ever wonder what Keeper's doing now?" Chase asked. He was lying flat on his back on the floor in front of the fireplace in Kendall's chambers, tossing a ball in the air and catching it before it landed on his face. "Or... whenever he is. If he's still alive, even, because he'd be, what, over a hundred and thirty million years old by now?"_ _

__Kendall blinked at him from her chair, while Koda, sitting cross-legged a little closer to the fire, reached over and caught the ball._ _

__Ignoring the ensuing squabble, she replied, "At least. Maybe much, much older. He spent some of that time in a kind of... suspended animation, but not all of it."_ _

__"I miss him." Koda handed the ball back to Chase and resettled himself, turning his back to the fire so he was more properly facing Chase and Kendall as he spoke. "I miss... when was just us, before. Was simpler, then. Train, get better, eat good food. Learn English. Now, is... Many friends, good friends, but you are all here, and I am home instead."_ _

__For a long moment, no one said anything, leaving Koda's words hanging in the air. Finally, Chase propped himself up on his elbows and asked, "Do you _want_ to be here?"_ _

__"I... do not know," Koda admitted. "Have family in past, but have family here. If stay, I give up family. If go home, I give up family."_ _

__"It's not an easy choice." In the back of her mind, Kendall cursed Keeper for just... giving Koda and Ivan a way back to their home times, without asking them if it was what they really wanted or even giving them time to think about it. Of _course_ they went home, but now they were _both_ wishing it was simpler, that there was a way to bridge their lives in the past and the ones they'd built for themselves in the present. "But... at least we know now you can visit. Maybe we can find a way to summon the portal without Heckyl, and you can come see us more often. Or we could come visit you for a bit."_ _

__Koda laughed, although it was strained, something Kendall didn't think she'd ever heard in his voice before._ _

__"That would be strange," he said, "seeing you back home. Is very cold, colder than here."_ _

__"Well, they didn't call it an ice age for nothing," Chase snarked._ _

__Koda laughed again, a little more freely._ _

__"Hey, we'll figure it out. We always do. I'm glad you told us."_ _

__"Me, too," Kendall chimed in. "Now that we know there's a problem, we can fix it, right?" Heckyl had brought them here, she considered; maybe he'd have some ideas on how to fix the problem. If only she could figure out how to ask it without sharing her friends' problems._ _

* * *

____

> __**Zandar, The Royal Palace Chapel. December 21st. 3:57PM.**__

 _ _"Sunset is in five minutes." Kendall stepped up beside Heckyl, speaking softly in the quiet of the chapel._ _

__It mostly hadn't been used in years, Phillip had explained, when they'd asked for a place to keep watch over the light, not since the larger church had been built between the palace and the town, but was still in good repair._ _

__"Is there anything specific we need to do beforehand?"_ _

__Heckyl shook his head as he placed the candle on the chapel altar before looking up at the rays of light streaming through the ornate stained glass windows that lined the walls. "No, no, we just need to light the candle as the sun fades," he explained, his voice a little distant as he took in the room. "I just hope..." Heckyl shook his head, and Kendall waited for him to continue. "I swore I'd never go back to Sentai 6," he said, finally. "I... There's a lot I haven't said about everything. About what happened, about how I got my powers..."_ _

__"I know." Kendall smiled at him when he looked over in shock. "I mean, I don't know the specifics, but you've been a little bit too casual about all of it for it to have been easy."_ _

__Heckyl nodded, watching a spark dance around his fingers as he flicked them back and forth. "Zenowing is gone, because of me," he said. "Destroyed, I think, but who knows with him? He sacrificed himself to save me from my own stupid, fearful decisions. From the Dark Energem's influence, because this time I _chose_ it, like I didn't already know what it would do."_ _

__Nodding slowly, Kendall said, "I wondered where the power came from. For you to be a Dino Charge Ranger, I mean, with all the gems otherwise accounted for."_ _

__"I'm a little more than that now." Heckyl said, with a sidelong grin. "Blue Solar Ranger, at least for a little while. But most of that power stayed... elsewhere."_ _

__"Outside the multiverse?"_ _

__"Maybe not outside it any longer, but yes," he confirmed. "Now... I'm just plain old Heckyl again. Trying to make up for the mistakes I've made, and knowing it'll never be enough."_ _

__Kendall stepped forward, placing a hand on Heckyl's shoulder in comfort. "You'd be surprised," she said, as he turned to face her. "I think... You can't always fix the mistakes you've made, but you can stop making them. Learn from them, then do better. Zenowing may have sacrificed himself for you, but if he did, that means he saw something in you worth saving. And you know what? I do, too." Her watch buzzed on her wrist, and she tapped it to still it. "Thirty seconds to sunset."_ _

__Heckyl nodded, took a breath, and let it out. "You do it," he said, holding out the lighter to Kendall. "You're more worthy to carry the light."_ _

__She grasped the lighter, but left it in his hand. "Together," she said, flicking it._ _

__Heckyl nodded. Their joined hands moved forward, and as the last rays of the sun cleared the windows, they lit the wick, flicking light filling the shadowed chapel._ _

__"I don't think it's about being worthy," Kendall added, after a moment of staring at the tiny light. "I think sometimes, you're just given the light to carry, whether you feel worthy of it or not."_ _

__Heckyl didn't respond at first, and when he finally opened his mouth, he was interrupted by commotion from the chapel entrance. "-What the..." he breathed._ _

__They turned to see Tyler, Shelby, and Koda piling in, carrying trays of sandwiches and some bottles of soda._ _

__"What are you doing?"_ _

__"Well," Shelby said, "we knew you'd be here with the candle instead of joining us for dinner, so we figured, why not bring dinner to you? And we can sit with you for a bit. Even take shifts, so you can get some rest." She winced, before asking, "Is... that okay? We're not screwing anything up, are we?"_ _

__Heckyl shook his head, bewildered. "No, no, not at all. It's traditional, actually, for those not standing vigil to support those who are. Thank- thank you."_ _

__"Chase and Riley said they'd grab the next shift," Tyler explained. "Everyone's planning to come by, at least for a bit."_ _

__When Heckyl's eyes widened even more, Tyler grinned and slapped him on the shoulder._ _

__"Hey, it's important to you, so it's important to us. Whatever you need, man!"_ _

__Taking a sandwich off of one of the trays, Kendall smiled at Heckyl before shoving him at the food. "You have a place with us, Heckyl," she said, as he gingerly selected his own sandwich, "as long as you'll have us. Maybe it's not your home, but..."_ _

__"But maybe it could be," he said._ _

__Koda and Tyler cheered before Shelby hushed them._ _

__"We talked about this!" she admonished the boys. "This is a _solemn_ occasion."_ _

__Heckyl shook his head, smiling at them. "No, no, it's okay," he assured them. "Maybe it wouldn't have worked back home, but I think a little joy is just fine today."_ _

* * *

____

> __**Zandar, The Royal Palace Chapel. December 22nd. 1:03AM.**__

 _ _Kendall blinked awake, roused from her light doze by the sound of quiet voices across the chapel._ _

__"-like he doesn't like me or something?" Ivan said, except no, that wasn't quite right. The accent wasn't right, or the cadence. Zach -- Zach had come in to take his turn sitting vigil with them, sometime after midnight. Said he didn't mind the middle-of-the-night shift, since he was used to being up late painting. "I dunno. I'm probably just imagining things. I mean, I know he doesn't think of me as a disappointment or anything, but..."_ _

__"You're... not imagining it," Heckyl said, and Kendall considered speaking up, except that he continued, "but I do think you're misinterpreting it. It's got to be weird, seeing your own descendant like that. I mean, how many of us get to meet our twelve-times-great-grandchildren? He probably feels just as weird being around you as you feel around him."_ _

__"It's _not_ weird, though," Zach insisted. "Ivan is... he's _great_. He was always kind of larger-than-life, when I was growing up? Gran raised me on stories of this Knight of Zandar, how he saved the kingdom then disappeared after the Battle of Ellarien Falls- Are you okay?"_ _

__Kendall looked up._ _

__Heckyl had choked and started coughing, but he was waving off Zach. "No, no, I'm fine," he said, getting his breathing under control. "You just surprised me -- I knew someone named Ellarien. Didn't expect to hear that name on Earth. Sorry, Kendall, did we wake you?"_ _

__She shook her head. "I mean, a little, but I'm supposed to be sitting vigil anyway. What were you guys talking about?"_ _

__"Nothing important," Zach insisted. "I was just saying, about Ivan, he was this, like, legend when I was growing up, and it's really nice to just see that he's, like, a person? I mean, he's awesome, but it kind of feels like... if _he_ can be awesome like that, I probably can, too, y'know?"_ _

__"He does like you," Kendall assured him, and Zach winced. "Sorry, I just caught the end of it while I was waking up. But he does. You should talk to him about it. Let him know how you're feeling."_ _

__"Maybe." Shrugging, Zach looked over at the candle on the altar. "Oh, hey, it's getting low," he said, and reached into his satchel. "I wasn't sure the one candle would make it through the night, so I brought these." He pulled out two more pillar candles, one a deep navy blue, the other a little lighter. "I couldn't decide which shade, because they both seemed appropriate for you? So I brought both."_ _

__Heckyl accepted them gratefully and stepped over to the altar, eyeing them before lifting the navy one to the burning candle, lighting its wick before standing it beside the other. "Thank you, Zach. They're... they're perfect."_ _

__"Hey, it was nothing," Zach insisted. "They just seemed right, that's all."_ _

__"They were your colours, right?" Kendall asked, and Heckyl nodded. Zach blinked in surprise. "Navy for the Dark Ranger, and the lighter blue for the other Power you held?"_ _

__"Oh, man, I had no idea! They're really all right?"_ _

__"Absolutely," Heckyl assured the younger man. "It's... nice. A reminder of who I was, and who I can be." He locked eyes with Kendall, then smirked. "Not unlike observing a Sentai tradition in an Earth chapel. A bit of who I was, a bit of who I can be."_ _

* * *

____

> __**Zandar, The Royal Palace. December 25th. 7:17AM.**__

 _ _As the sun pierced the sky in the east, the Rangers-and-associates gathered, pyjama-clad and drowsy, mugs of tea, coffee, and marshmallow-laden cocoa clutched in their hands, on every available chair, couch, and flat surface around the Christmas tree in Kendall's chambers. "I want to thank you all," Prince Phillip began, standing beside the tree, "for joining me here. For accepting my invitation, or for bringing those I would not have thought I could invite. You are the family I never knew I could have outside the scope of my life and duties as a prince and I know that, when the time comes, I will be a better ruler for the wisdom you have taught me."_ _

__"I wouldn't be here today at all if it weren't for all of you," Heckyl continued. "I'd still be tied to Snide, corrupted by the Dark Energem, not even really remembering who I truly am and where I come from. Instead, I've been able to have adventures of my own, even find myself part of the larger Ranger family. Who'd have thought? Me, Heckyl, a Power Ranger!"_ _

__"I... still not good with words," Koda said, and waved off the others assurances, "but... without you, without Rangers, I would not know so much! So many strange things. Would never have tried burgers!" He shook his head, and the few chuckles he'd prompted from the crowd died quickly. "It very strange, being home without you. Sometimes wonder why I cannot stay here, instead."_ _

__Ivan nodded as he gripped Koda's shoulder comfortingly. "Such wondrous delights the present day has to offer," he agreed. "And opportunities -- to see one's own legacy, even," he said, gesturing at Zach, who grinned at him. "I sometimes..." He trailed offer, leaving a slightly uncomfortable silence._ _

__"Sometimes?" Shelby prompted, and Ivan looked up, meeting her eyes._ _

__"I sometimes wonder," he said, after a long moment, "if I made the right choice when I returned home. I must admit, it has been more difficult than I expected, reacclimating to my own time after all the wonders I discovered here in the future." Ivan offered a smile to Koda, though it was bittersweet. "I, too, find that I miss hamburgers. Though I _do_ still wonder why they're called that, given that they're made of beef."_ _

__"You can stay if you want to," Heckyl offered, and Ivan's mouth snapped shut as he jerked his head around. "What? I checked for you, after something Zach said on the solstice. Your, uh, _legacy_ ," he explained, smirking, "is already intact. Happily being raised by her mother and adoptive father. Won't even miss you. You just had the Battle of Ellarien Falls, right?" Ivan nodded, hope dawning on his face. "History _already_ says you disappeared after. You'd be keeping the timeline intact by staying!" He reached into his pocket and pulled out the little portal-marble, visibly concentrating for a moment before pulling it apart, leaving two marbles, identical to the original, in his hands. "Here, you can go back and check on her if you'd like," he said, tossing one of the marbles to Ivan, who caught it handily, despite the stunned look on his face. "Happy Christmas, or whatever. It'll only work a couple of times. Probably. You, too, Koda. I mean, I don't know if the timeline says you stay or not, but, hey, it can't be _that_ hard to figure out."_ _

__Everyone sat there in silence for a moment, until finally Phillip broke it, offering, "There will always be a place here for you in Zandar should you seek it," to Ivan and Koda, who both nodded gratefully._ _

__"I... will have to think upon it," the knight said, "but.... Thank you. It may be that I will take you up on that offer."_ _

__"And on that note," Riley said, "I think it's time for presents!"_ _

__The morning passed swiftly as the group tossed boxes to their recipients and marveled over the contents. Tyler and Shelby shyly exchanged identical necklaces, laughing as they told the group about the jeweller they'd each snuck out to buy them at after admiring them together. Matt eyed Chase appraisingly as Riley gushed over the older boy's gift of a new fencing foil. Kendall herself was delighted to open her gift from Ivan, a slender silver bracelet set with an oblong stone the exact shade of her Energem. All in all, she mused, she was pretty happy with the family she'd found._ _

**Author's Note:**

> A few things!
> 
> The Chase/Riley just kind of... snuck in there, which is a little hilarious, because it's not even really my ship. I know it wasn't really part of your requests at all, so I hope it was minor enough not to detract from your Yuletide experience! I tried to balance it mostly around Kendall, the other characters you requested, and the idea of the Rangers as found-family (... and considerably more Heckyl than I'd planned), and I really hope that worked for you!
> 
> Claire Blackwelder is a talented singer, and Kendall's in-character comments on her own abilities are not meant to reflect on the actor's real-life skills. Also, my beta pointed out (at the "I don't have a doctorate" line) that she's got to be ABD, "All But Dissertation," by now. "Silly Power Rangers." (And yet Tommy earned HIS in, what, six years, from 'not even in university yet' to 'teaching high school students'.)
> 
> This went through about seven different conceptual evolutions after the opening bit in Kendall's room, but I'm pretty happy with where it ended up! I hadn't really expected to ever write a Christmas-set story for Yuletide, but it's what this one wanted to be (and anyway, the Christmas part is pretty incidental to "they all gather in Zandar and celebrate being each other's family"). Heckyl's/Sentai 6's tradition of 'carrying the light through the longest night' is inspired by my own, loosely neo-pagan, experiences and practices.
> 
> ... I may or may not have been picturing Aldovia basically the entire time I was writing this. Netflix Christmas Cinematic Universe, anyone?


End file.
